Social Science SPC 3210-Weekly Assignment 8


Read Chapter 35: Uses and Gratifications & Chapter 37: Agenda-Setting Theory. 

Answer each of the following questions separately, linking theories and concepts from the text. 

1. How does Elihu Katz’ media theory weave together media use and gratifications?

2. Bernard Berelson thought the field of communication was doomed as media was no longer a persuasive medium. Other than Elihu Katz, which other theorists might beg to differ?

3. Analyze the assertion that cultivation, agenda setting, and cultural studies address different pieces of the same process. Are they all pointing to the possibility of a unified media theory? What would such a theory look like? Is it possible or even appropriate?

4. Imagine that Marshall McLuhan, George Gerbner, and Stuart Hall crash Maxwell McCombs’ graduate seminar on agenda setting. Instantly they break into a lively discussion of the subject of the day—framing. What would be their views on framing?

CITATION:

Sparks, Em Griffin, Andrew Ledbette, G. A First Look at Communication Theory. Available from: Yuzu Reader, (11th Edition). McGraw-Hill Higher Education (US), 2022.